In His Eyes
by BadgerBooka
Summary: Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, had a twin. A very secret twin sister named Tally Potter, now come to introduce herself to his world - how does she do this? Attend Hogwarts. But that means being sorted, so when she's sorted into Slytherin and put in the "eighth year" dormitory with none other than Draco Malfoy, little does she know she's just begun the longest year of her life.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

**Dear Reader, I'm a total potter fan. I have been since fourth grade. However, this is my first ever fan fiction. If I'm doing something wrong, please do inform me! This story is a... write as it comes type thing. I don't have a plot lined out but the characters have been bouncing around in my head. I really hope you enjoy it!**

**PS: Hufflepuffs rule**

**PPS: Please rate, review, subscribe, follow, like, or whatever else suits you - I'd love, love, love to hear from anyone who might read this!**

**Chapter One**

Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived. Her brother. Twin, specifically, but he didn't know that. Hardly anyone did.

"Nana, are you sure I should do this?"

Grey haired and bearing small crows feet on the corners of her eyes, Nana had aged gracefully. She'd been older before Talulla Potter had ever been put in her care, but neither of them talked about things like that. Time was a touchy subject.

"Tally, we've been through this. Albus Dumbledore never meant for the two of you to be separated for forever. He asked that you attend Hogwarts rather than Beauxbatons for this last year of school-"

"But Harry-" her voice broke a little, "won't even be going to school this year - and I graduated last year! Going through another year-"

"You don't have to take whatever exams they take, all you have to do is… integrate yourself. You'll be given a private sorting-"

"I have to be sorted too?"

"Would you please stop interrupting me Tally?"

"Only if you'll stop interrupting me."

Nana leveled her a look, "This isn't up for discussion Tally."

"It should be!"

"Why?"

Tally stood despite the rocking of the train compartment. The Hogwarts Express had traveled up to the school this morning, but it was making a second trip just for her and Nana. Because it was so late, she could see only the shadows of the countryside. Staring out the window anyway, she placed a hand on the window and tried to steady her emotions, "I've lived my entire life in France. I loved my school, I loved our home, and I just don't see why any of that has to change."

"You have a brother Tally, a twin brother. Don't you want to meet him?"

She started to say no but stopped herself. They'd already had this fight, several times in fact. It always ended the same.

She grabbed her bag, "I'm going to go change into the bloody uniform. I'll be right back."

She took her time, fixing her hair and make up. Going to school with girls with veela ancestors had definitely had it's benefits, beauty lessons being one of them. She had bright green eyes and black curls that couldn't be tamed by anything less than magic which she used liberally. Straight, shiny, and hung down to her waist, she'd been told her hair was her best feature. Ironic considering it wasn't real.

By the time she returned to Nana, the train was slowing in the cute little village of Hogsmeade. She remembered it from the short Triwizard tournament visit she'd made for the first task. Internally, she shivered. She hadn't thought about that day in a long time. She stepped lightly onto the platform, turning and grudgingly helping Nana down the steps. Even if she was angry with her, she loved the woman. Nana was like her mother. Tally flinched away from that thought too, quick enough that she skipped the usual sting.

"I'll be going up to the school with you but the train leaves in three hours so I won't have long. Let's go."

They were greeted by a tiny little professor who introduced himself as Flitwick then walked up some stairs and down long path. Waiting was an open carriage, in front of it a black skeletal horse-like creature. A thestral. The creatures weren't very common in France, in fact she'd seen her first one the first time she'd been in Hogsmeade.

"This place-" Nana shot her a sharp look so she finished, "is beautiful."

Flitwick smiled excitedly, "Yes, but wait until the first snow - it is simply magical!" He smiled at his own words, drawing a forced laugh from Nana and a lip twitch from Tally. Nana and Flitwick spent the rest of the ride up to the castle exchanging comments about various points of history.

They stopped at the front doors and she alighted first, handing down Nana. When the professor moved, she hesitated. To help or not to help. Tally ended up stepping away, letting him leap for the ground on his own.

Inside, he guided them to a small room off to the side of a pair of massive doors, the doors that led to the Great Hall. She could hear the excited chatter of the welcoming feast. It brought back memories.

"In here please, we'll get you sorted in no time at all. Unfortunately, the feast will be over in a few minutes so you'll have to eat in your dormitory…" a frown shadowed his face, but only for a moment. Obviously he didn't agree with the decision to isolate her. "Anyway, if you would sit down there-"

"Another one? And not one of the squirming little ones either, how curious."

She twisted, catching sight of the old bedraggled hat placed neatly on a simple pedestal to the side of the worn wooden stool. It was small, obviously built for first years, but she sat obligingly. Beauxbatons had its traditions too, so long as she was being forced to attend, she'd humor Hogwarts.

Flitwick stood on his toes to place the hat atop her head then, quietly, he gestured for Nana to leave the room with him.

Quietly, in her ear, she heard the hat speak again.

"Aha, the second potter. I wondered if I would ever meet you." She wondered how he knew about her, but she'd scarcely finished thinking the question when he answered, "The late Albus Dumbledore and I had several discussions concerning your brother and yourself. It was a topic with which we burned the midnight oil for, so to speak. But I digress, you are here to be sorted into your house. You know them, yes?"

"Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Which one am I in?"

"That depends."

She raised her head, "On what?"

"It depends on what you want."

"What I… what?"

The sorting hat chuckled dryly, "Hufflepuffs are loyal and fun, Ravenclaws are intelligent and earnest, Gryffindors are brave and daring, and Slytherins are- no, I know what you're thinking. Slytherins are not all evil. Seeking power and wealth, having the drive to work for what you want, that is not evil. Yes, there had been bad seeds, but every house has their share of them, I assure you of that Miss Potter."

"So?"

"Have I decided? No, I have not, but you have no answered me yet."

"Answered what?"

"Let me assist you. You have already graduated from Beauxbatons. In truth I do not believe you need any more schooling to help you on your way. You are not here of your own accord and the reason you are here has nothing to do with learning how to wave your wand. Ravenclaw, therefore, would not be a good choice. I can only help that much, the choice between the remaining three rests with you."

She rubbed her face, tired. What was she supposed to choose? She knew Harry was in Gryffindor. If Nana had had her way, she would have been placed straight into his house and skipped the whole "hat nonsense" bit. Slytherin, well that had to be out of the question. It was that house that had fostered the man who'd killed her parents. She couldn't be placed there. The last one, Hufflepuff, it was… well, she didn't really want to dress in yellow to be honest. It was shallow, but it was a valid reason.

"Honestly?"

The hat waited.

"I just want to be happy. Be in the one that I'd fit in with. I don't know which one that is."

He Rather than whisper into her ear, the sorting hat hollered loud enough for Nana and Flitwick to hear him on the other side of the door, "Slytherin!"

Tally barely ate any of the sandwiches provided. Nana watched her for a moment, pecking at her own food, then she stood and straightened her blouse. She could feel the tension as though it was a hand grasping the back of her neck.

"Nana?" She paused, gazing at her expectantly. "I don't know what to say."

"I'm sorry would be appropriate."

Tally stood as well, "I…"

She continued straightening her blouse, efficient and brisk, "You came here to fit into your brother's life. It would have been helpful if you could have at least asked to be placed in his house - or any house but-" she broke off.

"He chose which house I was sorted into, not me. Slytherin is…"

Nana nodded when she couldn't find anything to say, "Exactly." She gathered her purse and placed her little hat atop her hair, "I hope you're happy Tally." She paused when she got to the door, turning back with a softer expression melting away the iron, "I really do hope you can be happy Tally, I do. I love you, you know that." When Tally made no move to reach for her, she turned back for the door, tossing over her shoulder, "Write me my dear, I want at least an owl or two a month. At least."

Then she was gone.

Tally sat back in her chair, gazing about her.

Because of her age, and the fact that she was a first year graduate, she was staying in an entirely different dormitory than the other Slytherins. Apparently, she was nearby, but she hadn't a clue where the real dormitory was so she didn't know if that was true or not.

What she did know, though it was a little darker than she was used to, the room had charm. It was stonewalled, high ceilinged, and luxuriously decorated. Silver engravings and wrought iron details on everything. The mid sized marble fireplace set in the longest wall beat the chill away, seeping into her bones and warding off the shivers.

Across the room from the gilt entrance, two iron circle staircases wound up, leading onto two separate balconies, arched doors mirroring each other at the far ends of each. She idly wondered why, if she was the only student staying in this dormitory, there were two balconies.

Suddenly, the entrance lifted open.

A boy with pale blonde hair, bright blue eyes, and a wealthy walk strolled in. Hands in his pockets and head down, he didn't see her immediately.

When he did, he blinked and stopped in his tracks.

"Hello." she offered.

"Who…?"

She stood, holding out a hand, "Talulla Potter. And you are?"

His bright blue gaze took in her robes, the Slytherin colors lining her sweater, and the french manicured hand. After a beat of silence, he reached out and laid his fingers beneath hers, lifting her hand to kiss her knuckles.

Classy.

"Obviously, I am your dormitory companion."

"You'll be staying here with me?"

He nodded slightly, "Apparently, as an eighth year, I am no longer welcome in the main dormitory."

She inclined her head, "I didn't catch your name."

"That would be because I didn't give it."

Tally frowned, "Shall I guess or would you spare me the trouble."

He released her hand and made his way past her, walking with an almost predatory grace. She made no move to follow. When he'd climbed the stairs on the right and made it to the balcony, he looked down at her.

"My name is Draco. Draco Malfoy."


	2. Chapter 2

**Authors Note: **

**Hey guys! Wow! So crazy to think that actual people are reading this - or that's what I assume the "following story" alert thing meant. Like I said, this is my first fan fiction. Um... disclaimer? None of these characters of places (except for Tally, Harry's twin whom I made up) belongs to me - they are the creation of the oh so incredibly talented J K Rowling.**

**Um... so just information! I'll be updating at least once a week, if not more - I'm in high school so I have tons of time sitting around doing nothing. It's gonna go chapter by chapter, and I'm kinda figuring out whats happening to them all at the same time as y'all! So cheers!**

**Oh and this story? It's a bit romance, a bit drama maybe, but mostly just good fun :)**

**Enjoy!**

**-Badgerbooka**

Chapter Two

"Potter?" Bushy brown hair and sharp brown eyes, Hermione Granger's attention finally lifted from the big book in front of her.

Tally tightened her grip on her bag strap, "Most people call me Tally, but yes that's my surname."

She studied her and Tally didn't miss her eyes hitting the Slytherin house color details on her uniform, but her eyes lingered the most on her hair.

She'd woken up in her too big black silk bed and discovered that she was cold. As she'd yet to choose which classes she wanted to take, Tally decided the best cure was sunshine. It took a while to get out of the dungeons but once out, it was easy to squeeze through the great big front door. Out in the courtyard, she'd happened upon the one girl she'd been encouraged to make nice with.

Hermione Granger.

"You're telling me your name is Tally Potter."

"Um, yeah. I think that's what I just said."

"Any relation to Harry Potter?"

The temptation to deny it, to ask who that was, to feign ignorance - it nearly knocked her knees out from under her. But Nana's wishes rang through her mind like a thousand church bells. Tally bobbed her head.

"Would you elaborate?"

"May I sit down?" she gestured to the space on the bench beside her, currently occupied by the bulging book bag. Hermione nodded, hauling the bag off and setting it at her feet. Tally sat, twisting her fingers, "I don't really know where to begin."

"The beginning is the customary route."

So she began at the beginning.

The night her parents had been killed, she and Harry had been in the nursery. His crib was closer to the door. He Who Must Not Be Named had killed her parents, but they believed he'd never seen her. She'd been fast asleep on the far side of the room. That was something baby Tally had done expertly. Not only that, but she was… well, a girl. It was the Boy Who Lived after all, not girl. The man who had saved Harry and her had been directed to drop Harry off at his aunts, but Tally had been taken across the Channel and left in the care of Nana. She'd been told about her twin brother when the news that Voldemort had finally been defeated reached France, a week before she'd graduated Beauxbatons.

She'd been given the summer to relish every moment left in France but her extra year of school at Hogwarts had loomed like a black cloud.

Hermione listened attentively, chin on fist.

"So… yes, I'm related to… to Harry."

She could see the wheels churning in the girl's mind, but comprehension lightened the brown quickly, "You don't want to meet him, do you."

"No! I want to meet him… just… not today."

"Or tomorrow I reckon."

She rubbed the back of her neck, glancing away, "Does that make me a bad person or something?"

Hermione suddenly shoved her book into her bag, then she sat up straight, shoving her hair behind her ear, "Listen, Harry is my best friend. I get that you're… you've suddenly been shoved into having not just a brother, but a twin. Not only is he a twin you didn't know you had but he happens to be a hero. I've only just met you-"

Tally stood stiffly, "Fine, I get it. I'll see you around."

She stalked away. Everyone said the same thing. Harry was a hero, she should be overjoyed to find out he was her brother, she shouldn't be so… what was she? Tally had no idea, she just knew she didn't want to meet Harry today, tomorrow, or the day after that.

"Tally!"

She stopped.

Hermione caught up to her, earnest, "I think you need time to get accustomed to knowing you have a twin before you actually meet him. Would you agree?" Tally didn't move but the answer was on her face. "Have you eaten breakfast yet?"

Tally shook her head.

"Come, you can eat with me. I need some company anyway."

Side by side, they walked into the Great Hall. Sitting down across from her, she suddenly caught sight of the boy from her dormitory. Draco Malfoy.

Hermione noticed her expression and followed her gaze. A slight sneer shadowed her face, "Do you know him?"

"We're in the same dormitory."

Her eyes widened, "Oh right, the eighth year rule. How's that?"

"How's what?" she asked around a bite of toast.

"Sharing a dormitory with Draco. You know he… oh dear… you don't know who he is!"

"Should I?"

Hermione sighed, "Long, long story short? Harry and Draco have this rivalry that goes all the way back to the night we got here, first year. To make matters worse, his parents were on Voldemort's side up to the Battle of Hogwarts - so, in case it isn't clear, Harry and Draco are not and likely never will be friends."

She raised her eyebrows, glancing back at Malfoy. He was eating at the Slytherin table, but at the farthest end.

"Miss Granger, Miss Potter, you two should be sitting at the eighth year table." a professor said briskly. She was thin lipped, her hair greying, and she stood very straight, but Stella got the feeling that this professor was one who was greatly respected.

"Oh, I didn't realize there was one professor."

She nodded once, accepting the earnest words, then she raised a hand and directed the two of them to the Slytherin table, "We've sectioned off this end for eighth years - marked off by the red ribbon you see there. No younger students may sit here, although you may sit elsewhere if you choose. Good day, Granger. Potter. Malfoy."

"Professor Mcgonagall?" Hermione called.

"Yes?"

"Are there any other eighth year students?"

"Just you three - oh, and Miss Lovegood. Is that all?"

"Thank you professor."

They sat across from Draco, glancing at each other when he didn't look up from his plate of eggs and toast. Tally coughed. Nothing. Finally, she leaned forward, "Good morning Draco."

He looked up sharply, but instead of snapping at her, he smiled thinly, "Morning."

Hermione said nothing, merely spreading jam on her toast.

"Sleep well?"

"Well enough."

When he said nothing more, she stated, "I slept poorly myself. It was quite cold. Did you feel cold?"

He regarded her with bright blue eyes, then flicked his gaze over to Hermione, "Did you tell her about me yet Granger?"

Hermione returned his gaze, unflinching, "Tell her what Malfoy?"

"My nefarious role in the war last year, how much her darling brother dislikes me, how she shouldn't waste breath on scum like me."

She tilted her head, "Why waste my breath when you've just told her yourself?"

Tally frowned, "But you did tell me-" she broke off, realizing exactly what Hermione was doing. They were taunting each other.

Draco smirked, "Obviously it wasn't such a waste after all." He stood smoothly, "I'll catch you later… _Potter_." As he walked away, she caught his sour chuckle, "Never thought I'd say those words."

Hermione turned to Tally as soon as he disappeared, "You know, I'd have thought a student from Beauxbatons would know how the baiting game is played."

She looked down, "Sorry."

"Oh don't worry about it. You'll get used to him eventually."

In class later, transfiguring pillows into bunnies, she remarked, "He can't really be all that bad, can he?" The he in question was sitting across the room, prodding his black bunny with his wand moodily. Hermione was trying to get Tally's to leap over her wand, her own bunny asleep in her lap.

"Who, Malfoy?"

"Yeah."

"He's sort of.. well, no, he is a gormless nitwit. But considering who his parents were, I suppose it wasn't his fault."

She raised an eyebrow.

"Lucius Malfoy, a staunch supporter of Voldemort, raised his perfect little son to be his minion. Hates mudbloods, has loads of money, and treats what must be an army of poor house elves like garbage."

Tally's eyebrows rose higher.

"His mother, well, she did everything that Lucius Malfoy. One thing is for certain, they weren't a very warm family. He generally stays at Hogwarts over the holidays. If that doesn't tell you about his family, I don't know what will."

"He hardly sounds like a despicable villain to me."

Hermione opened her mouth, then closed it. At length, she shrugged, "I guess it's different when you've spent seven years with him."

Tally propped her chin on her hand, "I guess."

"You've got a pigglyloo in your hair."

Hermione turned, a smile brightening her face, "Oh, hello Luna! How was your summer?"

A girl with long dirty blonde hair, pale skin, and silvery eyes alighted onto the stool on the other side of Hermione. Her voice had a wistful quality too it, her eyes gazing around the room but seeing things that couldn't possibly have been there. "Wonderful conditions for the dirigible plums and several garden gnomes decided to move into my garden. I believe the plums like the gnomes singing voices."

Hermione glanced at Tally, then back to Luna, "Luna? Have you met Tally yet?"

Her eyes focused on Tally and she smiled, "Why no, I haven't had the pleasure. But I suppose you are in some way related to Harry Potter?"

Tally blinked, "Why, yes, I am! How did you know?"

"You've got the same cheekbones. The green eyes and black hair make you similar, but the cheekbones set you as sibling. You're in eighth year so that means you must be Harry Potter's twin. Congratulations."

Tally gaped at her.

Hermione fondly patted Luna's hand, "Easy Luna, she's probably still reeling from the shock of finding out herself."

"You know, babies are capable of speaking to each other in a unique language. I think you remembered but blocked it out because it didn't make sense, but then you were told so it all came rushing back. Babies are more intelligent than grown up's give them credit for. They can see nargles with their naked eye you know."

The class passed quickly after that and soon it was dinner, the four of them sitting down at their end of the Slytherin table. Thankfully, the rest of the school seemed generally uninterested in them. But for a few turned heads and quick greetings, they were left alone. As it seemed too quiet, despite the noise level, she asked, "Why is it that the Slytherin house seems to be smaller than the other three?"

Draco raised an eyebrow, "Is it?"

She gestured to their seating arrangement, "All the other tables are about full, but this table is half empty."

"Or half full." offered Luna serenely, balancing a plump strawberry atop her bite of shepards pie.

"Well Granger?" He challenged, "She asked a question, or do you for once not have the answer."

"In the battle, most of the Slytherin house found itself tied to Death Eaters - being that they couldn't go against their parents, they left. As you can see, half of them didn't bother coming back. All the Slytherins remaining are the first, second, and a handful of the third years who hadn't been brainwa- I mean, pulled into the war."

Draco nodded, "That answer your question?"

Tally nodded.

She regretted speaking up. This time, when the silence between the four of them fell, it was heavy enough to spoil her appetite.

"I'm going to bed." she told Hermione.

Draco stood as well. When Hermione shot him a look, he rolled his eyes, "I look after my own Granger, somebody has to show her the way - or wait, do you know the answer to where her dormitory is too?" Her expression turned stony and he gloated, "I thought not. Come along Potter."

Out in the corridor, she caught the tail end of a smirk, "Why are you laughing?"

"What?"

They went down a familiar staircase, "You always smirk when you say my… well, when you say that name."

"Is it not your name?"

"Is it not your name?"

"By birth, yes, but I grew up with a different one."

He glanced at her, "What was it?"

"La Verte."

"French?"

"I grew up in France, a few miles from Colmar."

He turned down a side corridor, half hidden behind a statue, "This is a short cut, the quickest way. The main Slytherin dormitory is behind that stone wall over there, but I do not know nor do I wish to know the password, which is what you need to get inside. Our password is… well, yet to be decided." He stopped, a familiar statue of an elegant woman holding a long sword before them. "For now, it's just password." The woman lifted her sword, stepping aside on her pedestal to make room for them to pass.

Inside, the dim light casting shadows, he turned to face her, "I don't suppose you'd like to agree on a password while we're here?"

She raised her eyebrows, "A password? Um, I don't know any."

He grinned, an abrupt quirk in his lips that made him look years younger, "How about… Colmar? You haven't told anyone about where you grew up, have you?"

She raised her eyebrows, "No, but will you remember it?"

"Of course. I'll set it tomorrow, for now," he deftly picked up her hand brushing her knuckles with his lips, "Good night."

Drawing her hand back, she made her way up her stairs then, just before she pushed through her door, she twisted and quipped, "My name is Tally, think you can remember that?"

"Oh dear, two things to remember? I'm afraid that might be a little too much to ask."

She shrugged, "Well, I won't answer to anything else. If you ever find yourself needing to get my attention… you know how to reach me."

He plopped down in an armchair below, head craned back to keep his eyes on her. He was smiling, "Yes ma'am."

"It's madam to you."

He saluted her playfully and she bounced away from the railing, pulling her door shut with a shaky hand. In the darkness of her room, she wondered at how everyone apparently thought that Draco was a bad person. He seemed a bit broody, definitely, but bad?

Hardly.

In that moment, she decided that they would be friends. And just like that, she forgot to Hermione's warning that Harry and Draco disliked each other. She forgot to think that maybe she shouldn't want to be friends her twin brother's "sworn enemy".

**OKAY GUYS! That's it for Chapter two! If you read it, please review! I'd love to hear your thoughts! Anyway, more to come soon! Buenas Noches!**


	3. Chapter 3

**SO SO SO SO sorry for the wait but it's a good chapter guys... much words to appease you :) without further ado -**

Chapter Three

"Oh how quaint, Granger and Potter, sitting in a tree." Draco smirked, obviously thinking of her brother. Tally, swinging her leg over the thick, low lying tree limb, and jumped to the ground, "You ready then?" he asked.

"You two going somewhere?"

Draco raised his nearly invisible eyebrows, "Yes, we are. You have a problem with that Granger?"

"No. No, feel free to go anywhere you wish." She turned back to her book, "Just remember we have an essay due tomorrow."

Tally sighed, "Blimey, I forgot!"

He studied her, "Coming?"

She glanced between Draco and Hermione, then quizzed, "We're only going to be gone for an hour or so?"

"For sure."

"I'll have plenty of time, oodles of it, but later!" She smiled at Hermione even though the bushy haired girl wasn't looking at her, "See you later."

They walked at a slow pace, enjoying the stillness of the school. This was the benefit to being an eighth year student - they all got to choose their schedule. Hermione, as it seemed in her nature to do, had squeezed every possible class in. Draco and Tally however had taken the bare minimum. Transfiguration, Herbology, Potions, and Defense Against The Dark Arts. She didn't know what the blonde girl's schedule was, she never saw Luna outside of class. She probably went off to talk to the trolls in the dungeon or something.

She asked, "You like Hogwarts?"

He glanced askance at her then nodded, silent. Draco was curt, something that would seem like rude to people who weren't used to his sort of attitude. Luckily for him, Tally was. To her, he was as familiar as the back of her hand. Well his personality was anyway. She really didn't know much about him beyond what Hermione had told her and those tidbits had been so soaked with grudges that she wasn't sure how much of it was true.

"I think it's rather… rustic. Beauxbatons is a great silver tower - it had a spell over it so muggles can't see it of course, but to wizards and witches? It's so beautiful. The inside was elegant, all the rooms decorated and furnished - so much so that it felt like each room was nearly identical. Personally, my favorite part was the stable. Winged horses, pygmy horses, glowing ponies, water horses, and unicorns. Did you know Beauxbatons has unicorns? They aren't caged or tied up, they just hang around because they want to. They like the girls. The youngest ones especially."

"Sounds nice."

She looked around, "Hogwarts is nice too, of course, but in a… different way."

"You mean in a great-hulking-tomb sort of way?"

Wide eyed, she shook her head, "No, not a tomb! A… a… I don't know, but tombs are dead and dusty. Hogwarts isn't dead."

"But it is dusty."

She raised her eyebrows, "You don't have house elves?"

Draco shot her a look, "Course Hogwarts does, if it didn't, this place would probably crumble in on itself. But Filch? The squib caretaker? He's getting on in years and the Battle of Hogwarts really took a lot out of him. Nearly destroyed the castle entirely."

"I see they rebuilt it?"

"They did, but some things were changed."

"Like what?"

"For one thing, there was a room that used to be in the lower levels of the school - the professors all got together and destroyed it. It was called the Room of Requirement."

She raised her eyebrows, "I'm assuming it wasn't actually destroyed."

"Perceptive Potter. Yes, it wasn't - only they don't know it wasn't. The room just moved itself onto another floor - coincidentally, this one."

She looked around, "Hey, that's our dormitory!"

"Right." They'd stopped a good distance down the corridor, in front of a blank stretch of wall. He raised a hand as the rumbling started, "And this, Potter, is the new and improved Room of Requirement."

The door that appeared looked normal enough, nearly identical to all the others in the school, but for the fact that it hadn't been there a few seconds ago. At his gesture, she pushed the door open and sucked in a deep breath.

It was a greenhouse, but not the kind that she was used to.

Silver roofing and deep green glass panes, the ceiling was simple enough, but hanging from it in measured intervals were long chains supporting tarnished silver pots. Within the pots were plants, but not the normal muggle kind. Candy apple reds and eye popping yellows, petite pinks and luscious purples, azure blues and fiery oranges. It was like a rainbow, a dancing rainbow. All the plants shivered when she opened the door.

Draco prodded her back with a finger and she moved forward.

"Are they…" she listened for another moment then twisted to look at him, "talking?"

"Yes. These, Potter, are hothouse flowers. Extinct in the real world - but alas, the Room of Requirements can do many things that magic couldn't."

She wandered down the walkway, inhaling the heady scents that she never would have expected would come from a flower. She smelt cherry pie, ice cream, chocolate, cakes, and every other dessert she could think of. When she reached the end, a bench sitting against a window sill of different plants, she bent down.

"Dragon lilies," he commented.

She watched as the lilies lifted, snow white petals unfurling to release a miniscule buttercup yellow dragon, tethered to the center of the plant by a tiny thread. Bending closer, she smiled as the dragons - so wispy and delicate that she worried a breath of air would hurt them. Placing a hand on the sill-

"Ow!"

She bounced back up, holding her hand.

Draco looked up from the flower he'd been studying, "What?"

"Something bit me!" she studied the finger. A small red spot on her palm proved it.

He sauntered up to her, took her hand, and studied the injury, "Tsk tsk, we must be more careful with splinters Potter."

"It hurt," she insisted. Her voice wobbled, though only a little bit. She could feel his breath on her skin, his hands warm as he cradled the back of her hand.

She bit her lip.

He studied her, eyes sharp blue and intense.

Heat swept up her body, infusing her cheeks with a pink blush that she couldn't pretend was anything but what it was. _What _it was, she was steadfastly ignoring. _My, my, what a lot of what's and was's_. She was flabbergasting herself for heaven's sake. This had to stop. Draco was nearly a stranger and what had begun as an innocent surveying of an injury had turned into something that made her stomach turn over-

She took her hand back, holding it to her chest, "It was just a shock, that's all. I'm fine."

He straightened, "I should hope so, considering it was just a prick. It didn't bleed so you don't need to worry about… anything."

"Right."

"Right."

She blushed and turned around, "Well, I do like this room. It's very nice."

"Yes, it is."

"What time is it?"

"No idea."

She rolled her shoulders, "Well, I ought to write that essay Hermione was talking about. It is due tomorrow after all."

He said nothing.

She hurried down the path and out the door, adjusting her robes and trying the shake the blush from her cheeks. Draco was left in the hothouse, the flowers whispering around him, his eyes sharp but his voice soft.

"Interesting."

Tally, seeing that Hermione was still in her tree, returned to her spot, breathless. It was just because she'd been walking so fast, that was it. Nothing more. She willed the blush to fade entirely lest the wickedly intelligent girl suspect her.

"How was it?"

She started, "What? How was what?" Then it hit her, "Oh he just showed me how to get into our dormitory with the new password. It was fine." What was she lying. Moreover, why was she babbling? Tally should have more composure than this!

Hermione nodded, "Hmm."

"What? Why'd you hmm?"

She looked up from her book, "It's funny that he showed you how to get into your dormitory now when he could have just done it after dinner."

Tally summoned an answer, "He's going to the library after dinner, to get a book, so he won't be there to let me in."

Hermione nodded, although her eyes remained speculative. After a beat of silence, she pointed to her book, "So, this is what we're to write an essay on. Have you started yours?" She shook her head, oddly ashamed. Hermione was the type to write out an essay the very night it was assigned. She'd probably had it done a week ago.

"Good," she said abruptly. "To tell you the truth, I haven't started it either."

"You haven't?"

"No! Honestly, I'd thought it would be easy to finish the last year of school, but all I can think is that… why?" And off she went without a word of prompting from Tally. "I fought in a battle last year. I protected Harry and Ron against all odds, guarding us from all sorts of evil, and we won." She patted her hair, "I mean, don't get me wrong, I love learning. I'm going to learn all that I can and get high marks, but I just… I don't know. I don't have the same burning desire as I did two years ago."

Tally slanted her a smile, "You still have more desire than me."

Hermione raised an eyebrow, "Yeah?"

"I didn't even want to come here. I finished my schooling last year, at Beauxbatons, and I couldn't have had better teachers. It was fantastic. And then I get told I'll be spending another year of my life at school, but not the one I grew up in, but in a totally different country? Speaking another language?" Blushing, she ducked her head, "I don't mean to complain-"

"It's not complaining, it's stating facts, and the fact is… you don't want to be here."

Tally nodded.

"Regardless of what we want or desire however, this essay will not write itself," she said pragmatically.

With that, they wrote until the smells of dinner enticed them inside. Hermione was halfway done, Tally finished entirely. It was a simple enough assignment but the bushy haired girl insisted she needed to write not one, not two, but three full scrolls on the subject. Tally had written one, as was the requirement.

Chatting as they sat down, Luna and Draco both turned to them. It was obvious neither of them had been speaking to each other.

This bad mojo between the girls and Draco really needed to stop. Trying to lighten the mood, she asked brightly, "How was your day Luna?"

"Sunny. The hinklepringles were very active today, it made for quite a bit of music. Their songs have healing powers you know."

Looking down, she blinked, "Luna? Where are your shoes?"

Draco smoothly laid a hand over his lips. To anyone else, he would have looked completely normal, but she saw his eyes. The glint of humor.

Luna answered, "I expect someone took them. I've always thought it was the nargles taking them, but I discovered not too long ago that the culprits are actually the students. I don't know who, but I'm sure they'll find there way back to me."

"Yes." She looked at Draco. "I'm sure they will. After all, it'll be getting cold soon."

He raised his eyebrows a hair, but she knew he'd return them.

"Learn anything today Malfoy?"

"Much more than you did, Granger." She opened her mouth, offended, but he added lazily, "After all, you already know everything so what more is there to learn."

She closed her mouth. The wheels churned her her head, processing the words and trying to find the insult but Tally knew she'd come up empty. Draco had just complimented her.

"So, you're going to the library after dinner Malfoy?"

He looked up sharply, eyebrows raised, "Sorry?"

"The library. Tally told me that you're going to the library after dinner. That's why you had to show her the password today."

Malfoy glanced at Tally. In a single heartbeat, he read the pleading in her eyes. It was lightning fast, the reassuring smile, but it was there. "Yes Granger, I can't see how my going to the library would interest you though."

She shrugged, "I was just curious as to which book you would be getting."

"Just some night time reading Granger, no need to worry for your precious books."

"So you don't know which book you're going to get?"

"No, Granger, I don't."

"I'll help you then."

An hour later, she perched in her chair, waiting for Draco to walk through the door. It was kindness that he'd backed up her lie. She had to thank him, it was the least she could do considering he'd been such a good sport. Hermione had gone with him for Merlin's sake! It was half gratitude that he'd covered for her and half curiosity that kept her awake.

The door swung open and he stepped down into the room.

"Potter."

She stood, tongue suddenly sticking to the roof of her mouth.

"You owe me."

**I hope you enjoyed that and don't hate me too much for the cliffyness at the end! More to come next week! I've got a really cool plot coming for this story! hope you all keep reading! Please write some reviews, tell me what you think! Thanks guys!**

**-BadgerBooka**


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